Rotary retort



April 1949- J. K. YOUNG ET AL v 2,468,318

ROTARY RETORT Filed Oct. 23, 1947 INVE'NTORS JAMES KEAN YOUNG ERNEST ARCHIBALD WRIGHT BY 17W 3min! ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 26, 1949 245mm,, corsa r mrrorvr James .Kean Young, Maylands, and Ilrnest Archi:

bald Wright, Berth; Wflstin' Australia, finisal a.

rplieeiier October 23, 194?, er a le-fl8 .1fi.

4 Claims. I?

This invention relates to an improvedrotary retort.

In using the ordinary type of rotary retorts in the distillation of carbonaceous materials, major dimculties are encountered when there areone or both'of the following conditions:

A. Hot and/or varying temperatures the .re-. sulting heat and/ or changes in expansion causing. undue wear of the gland packing and/ or seizing of the retort with consequential damage.

B. Injurious gas causing disastrouswear of the gland packing and/or "gumming up or foul ing of the gland packing which may result in seizing or stopping of the retort with consequential damage.

The foregoing disadvantages and other associated difiiculties are overcome by the use of the retort the subject of this application.

The invention consists broadly of a rotary retort which has a gland comprising a long collar of somewhat greater diameter than the retort, and being connected there so as to form an air jacket between the collar and the retort, a circumferential trough being formed on the collar for the reception of cooling water.

The end of the collar connected to the retort is unavoidably subject to considerable expansion while the other end, being cooled by the flow of water in the circumferential trough assisted by the presence of the air jacket, is not subject to appreciable expansion. At an appropriate intermediate position the packings of the gland are situated. Obviously the collar must be of sufficient length to avoid undue stress due to the difference in amount of expansion at different points along the collar.

The invention will readily be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing which is a longitudinal sectional elevation thereof.

As shown in this drawing, the retort ID, as usual in such apparatus, passes through a heating and combustion chamber II in which the retort is heated externally. The retort is as usual inclined slightly toward the discharge end. At such end the retort passes through the combustion chamber I I into a stationary discharge compartment 12, where a gland is necessarily provided. There are spider supports l3 inside the retort near the discharge end, and these centrally carry a shaft M which extends out through the far side of the discharge compartment l2 and is supported in bearings l5 and by a thrust bearing l6 so that the retort cannot expand longitudinally in this direction.

The expansion of the retort is provided for at the. higher. end: where a reduced extension.

and-where it has a spur wheel l8 driven by a wide. pinionl9: which also allows for such expansionf The means for feeding the retort and for the-dischargeof the products of combustion may beas is common to this type of apparatus.

At the discharge end the retort isjconnected to a long collar Zllwhich is ofsmnewhat greater diameter than the retort and whichis suitably connected thereto, such as by welding, at the end.- In consequencefthere i's an air jacket between the retort Ill and the collar 20. Near the unattached end of the collar 20 is formed a circumferential trough 2| into which cooling water can be run during operation. At an appropriate intermediate position a fiat ring 22 can be welded 01' otherwise connected to the collar 20 to form the actual bearing face of the gland, and this is in juxtaposition to an appropriate ring or bearing face 23 on the stationary discharge compartment I2. There will be a shoulder on such ring or bearing face against which asbestos or other heat-resisting fibre can be packed. In association with the ring 23 there will also conveniently be a circular channel member 25 which is supplied with a source of steam or other suitable fluid through a pipe 26. On the far side of the channel member 25 another ring of packing material can be provided, and against this is adapted to be held the face of the gland ring 21, which can be tightened in the normal manner.

As a result of the construction described, longitudinal expansion takes place at the high end where there is provision for it being accommodated, and there is very little longitudinal movement at the discharge end where the main gland is situated. Further, at the actual gland relatively cool conditions are prevailing because the collar member 20 is only connected to the retort ID at one end, and moreover is cooled with water as it rotates. Further, the use of the steam or other suitable fluid not only has a cooling effect, but creates a positive pressure in the locality of the gland which stops the products of distillation or combustion from escaping.

We claim:

1. In a rotary retort a gland member at an end thereof comprisin a lon collar of greater diameter connected to the retort so as to form an air jacket between the collar and the retort; and a circumferential trough formed on the collar to act as a channel for cooling water.

2. In a rotary retort a gland at an end thereof consisting of a long collar of greater diameter than that of the retort said collar being connected to the retort so as to form an air jacket between the collar and the retort; a circumferential trough formed on the collar to act as a channel for cooling water; a compartment into which the end of the retort projects; a bearing ring in the compartment in juxtaposition to the collar connected to the retort; a gland ring connected to the compartment; and packing held in position by the gland ring so as to form a joint between the collar and the bearing ring on the compartment.

3. In a rotary retort a gland at the end thereof consisting of a long collar of greater diameter than that of the retort said collar being connected to the retort so as to form an air jacket between the collar and the retort; a circumferential trough formed on the collar to act as a channel for cooling water; a bearing ring connected to the collar; a stationary discharge compartment into which the end of the retort projects; a bearing ring in the stationary compartment in juxtaposition to the bearing ring on the collar connected to the retort; a gland ring connected to the stationary member; and packing held in position by the gland ring so as to form a joint between the bearing ring on the collar and the bearing ring on the stationary member.

4. In a rotary retort a gland at the end thereof consisting of a long collar of greater diameter than that of the retort said collar being connected to the retort so as to form an air jacket between the collar and the retort; a circumferential trough formed on the collar to act as a channel for cooling water; a bearing ring connected to the collar; a stationary discharge compartment into which the end of the retort projects; a bearing ring in the stationary compartment in juxtaposition to the bearing ring on the collar connected to the retort; a circular channel member associated with the bearing ring on the stationary member; a pipe connection to the circular channel member to supply fluid under pressure; a gland ring connected to the stationary member; and packing held in position by the gland ring so as to form a joint between the bearing ring on the collar and the bearing ring on the stationary member.

JAMES KEAN YOUNG.

ERNEST ARCHIBALD WRIGHT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,332,380 Christie Mar. 2, 1920 1,401,212 Vermaes Dec. 27, 1921 1,498,635 Metzger June 24, 1924 1,615,222 Greenwood Jan. 25, 1927 1,859,381 Condit et a1 May 24, 1932 2,127,073 Torping Aug. 16, 1938 

